iphone 4 side shot
Bloomberg reports on an article from Russian business newspaper RBC Daily claiming that wireless carriers are in discussions with Apple to launch the iPhone 5 in that country as soon as November.

Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone 5 may start selling in Russia in November, “almost immediately” after sales begin in the U.S., RBC Daily reported, citing handset retailers it didn’t identify.

The report notes that previous iPhone models have been slow to officially make their way to Russia, setting up a large market for unauthorized device sales. Russian mobile phone operators are obviously eager to bring Apple's latest iPhone models to the country as soon as possible in order to capitalize on their popularity with official distribution.

Claims of the iPhone 5 making its way to China as soon as October have also appeared in recent days as carriers in countries around the world seek to gain access to the rumored forthcoming device as close as possible to the U.S. launch. Apple has historically staggered its international rollouts to prioritize its biggest markets and those where distribution is simplest. But a number of countries with large populations such as China, India, and Russia have often seen device launches come well after the initial wave.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

xionxiox Avatar
186 months ago
In Soviet Russia, iPhone come to you!....later
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
winston1236 Avatar
186 months ago
No Soviet Russia no more. Not 20+ years being it in existence. ;):rolleyes:

They are getting it late to punish them for the whole MacDefender thing.

Take that, tovarish!! :D

haha if that were true it would be hilarious
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wackymacky Avatar
186 months ago
How many people remember when they first got the original iPhone and perhaps then the 3G, and well, you were only of the few with one?

6-7 out of 10 of my work colleagues and friends now have an iPhone. Apple soon will be a top selling phone in China, India, Russia. Next we will hear that Apple is going to be the first Western Company to open a new retail store in North Korea in the last 10 years.

Who will be last last person in the world (in the range of a cellphone network) not to own an iDevice.

Kind of sad really.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bushido Avatar
186 months ago
Moscow and st Petersburg are the main city's of Russia and what are you talking about that they arnt official apple stores??? They sell apple products and only apple products....

Apple Store



and this is what u r talking about > Apple Reseller

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alex00100 Avatar
186 months ago
nah... we all buy it on ebay. iPhones in russia are very expensive, compared to US.
they better not making a month delay from official release date instead a 1/2 year as it was before(iPad 2 came 2 month later then in US and it was the fastest thing i remember) but also make it cheaper.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Discoverer Avatar
186 months ago
What are you talking about? My cousins are from Moscow and they have about 20 apple stores in that city.... Also ALOT of people can afford apple products... Your getting confused with the 1970's and today... Today a lot of people have money in western Russia... Only some parts of Russia are poor, just like the united states....

There are no Apple Stores in Russia. There are only Apple authorized resellers, which are not the same thing. Also, most Russians live on levels that go beyond poverty. That is one problem with many foreigners. They see Moscow or Petersburg and think that that's Russia. It is not. Visit Ivanovo, or Kostroma, or any other city and tell me if you can find people with "money" when most people there can't afford to pay for water.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone black friday gold

The Best Early Black Friday iPhone Deals

Monday November 10, 2025 10:18 am PST by
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2025 sales have kicked off at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and more. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models during the holiday shopping season. Note: MacRumors is...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...